The present invention relates generally to book binding and, more particularly, to a book cover including an alignment feature for aligning the book cover in a book binder.
In making a book, a book block which includes a plurality of sheets of paper is typically bound with a book cover by a book binder. The book block includes a body of the book including, for example, a table of contents, text, index, etc. Typically, the book cover is one sheet or piece of material cut to a desired size and includes a cover image formed of characters and/or graphics printed on a side which forms an outer surface of the book cover.
With a conventional book binding system, the book cover is positioned in the book binder and the book block is positioned relative to the book cover such that a spine of the book block is bound with an inner surface of the book cover. Thus, positioning of the book cover in the book binder, typically requires the inner surface of the book cover to be exposed such that the spine of the book block can be correctly positioned relative to the book cover. Since the outer surface and, therefore, the cover image are not exposed or visible, aligning the book cover in the book binder is difficult. In addition, since the cover image is printed on the book cover, the cover image may be skewed or offset relative to a desired position. Once again, aligning the book cover in the book binder is difficult.
Unfortunately, with the conventional book binding system, precisely aligning the book cover in the book binder is not always possible. Thus, the book block is not always correctly positioned relative to the book cover. The book cover and, more importantly, the cover image, therefore, are not always precisely centered about the book block. As such, quality and appearance of the book are poor.
Accordingly, a need exists for aligning a book cover in a book binder prior to binding of a book block in the book cover by the book binder such that the book cover and, more specifically, a cover image are centered about the book block when the book block is bound with the book cover.
One aspect of the present invention provides a book cover including a cover blank, a cover image on the cover blank, and an alignment feature associated with the cover blank, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the cover blank, the image field has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field.
In one embodiment, the alignment feature penetrates the cover blank. In one embodiment, the cover image defines a surplus region of the cover blank beyond the image field, and the alignment feature penetrates the surplus region of the cover blank.
In one embodiment, the alignment feature includes an alignment cut provided in the cover blank. In one embodiment, the cover blank has a top edge and a bottom edge, and the alignment cut extends from one of the top edge and the bottom edge of the cover blank. In one embodiment, the image field of the cover blank has a top boundary and a bottom boundary, and the alignment cut extends from one of the top edge of the cover blank toward the top boundary of the image field and the bottom edge of the cover blank toward the bottom boundary of the image field. In one embodiment, the cover image defines a surplus region of the cover blank beyond the image field, and the alignment cut is formed in the surplus region of the cover blank.
In one embodiment, the alignment feature includes at least two locator points provided on the cover blank centered about the center line of the image field and an alignment cut formed in the cover blank centered between the locator points. In one embodiment, the cover blank has a surface, and the cover image and the locator points are printed on the surface of the cover blank. In one embodiment, the cover image defines a surplus region of the cover blank beyond the image field, and the locator points are printed in the surplus region of the cover blank and the alignment cut is formed in the surplus region of the cover blank.
In one embodiment, the cover blank has a top edge and a bottom edge, and the image field of the cover blank has a top boundary and a bottom boundary. As such, the locator points are printed between one of the top edge of the cover blank and the top boundary of the image field and the bottom edge of the cover blank and the bottom boundary of the image field, and the alignment cut extends from one of the top edge of the cover blank toward the top boundary of the image field and the bottom edge of the cover blank toward the bottom boundary of the image field.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming a book cover. The method includes the steps of providing a cover blank, providing a cover image on the cover blank, and associating an alignment feature with the cover blank, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the. cover blank, the image field has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a book binding system for use with a book binder including a registering guide. The book binding system includes a cover blank, a cover image on the cover blank, and an alignment feature associated with the cover blank, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the cover blank, the image field has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field and adapted for alignment with the registering guide of the book binder.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of binding a book block in a book cover with a book binder including a registering guide. The method includes the steps of providing a cover blank, providing a cover image on the cover blank, associating an alignment feature with the cover blank, aligning the alignment feature with the registering guide of the book binder, positioning the book block on the cover blank, and binding the book block in the cover blank with the book binder, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the cover blank, the image field defines the book cover and has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a system for producing a book on-demand. The system includes a processing system adapted to receive and process a book request for the book, a book block preparation system which prepares a book block of the book in response to a book body preparation command of the processing system, a book cover preparation system which prepares a book cover of the book in response to a book cover preparation command of the processing system, and a book finishing system which assembles the book block and the book cover to form the book. In one embodiment, the book cover includes a cover blank, a cover image on the cover blank, and an alignment feature associated with the cover blank, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the cover blank, the image field has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field. In addition, the book finishing system includes a book binder including a registering guide, wherein the alignment feature of the book cover is adapted for alignment with the registering guide of the book binder.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of producing a book on-demand. The method includes the steps of receiving and processing a book request for the book, preparing a book block of the book in response to a book body preparation command of the processing system, preparing a book cover of the book in response to a book cover preparation command of the processing system, and assembling the book block and the book cover to form the book. In one embodiment, the step of preparing the book cover includes providing a cover blank, providing a cover image on the cover blank, and associating an alignment feature with the cover blank, wherein the cover image defines an image field of the cover blank, the image field has a center line, and the alignment feature is registered to the center line of the image field. In addition, the step of assembling the book block and the book cover includes providing a book binder including a registering guide, aligning the alignment feature with the registering guide, positioning the book block on the cover blank, and binding the book block in the cover blank with the book binder.
The present invention provides for alignment of a book cover in a book binder prior to binding of a book block in the book cover by the book binder. Thus, the book cover and, more specifically, a cover image are centered about the book block when the book block is bound with the book cover.